I'm glad to see the decision. To me, it's part of the basic set of rights mankind should have and really proves as a civilization we can avoid crushing the rights of the many due to the acts of a few. It also sets a good example to follow our own rules even when in times of great need, as it proves the strength of those rules.

I count myself lucky to be born into the life I have, and am thankful that many generations of people before me have laid the foundations for my better life. To go backwards on a set of fundamental rights will affect and kill way more people then died in one major, but isolated event of terrorism.

(reading up now on other responses)

I have to agree with Andy that this helps to avoid appearing quite so hypocritical to the rest of the world. We have a long way to go on that path, but this is a good step. It's also giving me some faith back that our system does work, albeit a bit slower then it should have. 7 years might not seem that long when looking at history, but it's a sizable piece of anyones life to not have such rights.